The Last of the MetalHeads
by James Locke
Summary: When and old love comes back from Keria's past and the god of the Metal-Heads is called forth Haven City is thrown, once again, into a battle that can re-shape the face of the world.
1. Dark, Cold, and Wet

It was a dark cold and wet night in Haven City. Everyone was either at home in bed or curled up by a fire in their homes. But one man wasn't. A single figure was walking silentley down the streets of South Town, his destenation was the Stadium. His name was Rail.

He wore a black leather jacket, and a black tee-shirt under it. He had short black spike hair, black jeans and black boots. He had an aura about him that told people to back off and not to get in his way. He knew it and used it whenever he wanted to.

It was only last night when Jak destroyed the Metal-Head leader, the Metal-Head army collapsed when their leaders death was apparent and Rail had had to spend the last day cleaning up all the crap that the Metal-Heads had caused. He wanted peace and he knew there was one place he could get it. He was going to Keria's. He smiled as he remembered the first time he met her.

Flashback:

Rail, Erol and several KG were patrolling the Slums when three things fell out of the sky.

"What was that!" yelled Rail, looking up.

"Something's going on," said Rail. "You go check out the one that landed in South Town, I'll check the one in the Slums and Bolt you get he one in the Ag sector.

Rail grabbed four men and jogged off. After about 15 minutes of searching he found her. The figure of a young women, no older than 16. She was the most beautiful woman that Rail had seen. One of the guards raised his gun and trained the laser sight on her. Rail turned to him and pushed his barrel down.

"Stay back." he said. He walked over and picked up the girl's head. He pressed her neck to check for a pulse. She stireed and opened her eyes and stared into Rail's eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

"J..J..Jak?" she mumbeled.

"My name's Rail," he said quitely. "Who are you?"

She fainted again. Rail exaimed her body and saw a necklace around her neck. He lifted it up and looked at the finely carved piece of wood. 'Keria' it said. Rail's thoughts were interupted by his comm unit.  
"I got a young boy here and Bolt's got an old geezer. They're both kicking and were taking them to prison. What about you." It was Erol. Rail knew this 'Keria' was alive and he knew what Erol would do to her in prison.

"Mines dead," he lied. "I'm calling the meat wagon."

"10-4" said Erol and clicked off.

Rail got on his comm and called the "meat wagon". When the coroner arrived he walked over to Keria's body and took one look before saying,  
"She's alive." He looked at Rail and found himself staring down the barrel of Rail's gun.

"You're going to pronounce her dead and cart away a KG armor suit to pose as her body, do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Uh.... y-y-yes sir.." he ran off and flew away in his car.

Rail turned to his men and placed the laser of his gun on each of there forheads. "No one besides the five of us will EVER know about this incident. Do I make myself PERFECTLY CLEAR!"

Three of them answered in perfect unison "Yes, sir!" but one, a new recruit said. "But sir, falisfying a death is against regulation..." Rail whirled on him, and point his gun right at his neck.

"I AM REGULATION!!"

"Yes sir. Sorry, sir."

"Alright," said Rail. "A.K., you're in charge. I want ground patrols until noon, OK? Good."

Rail picked up Keria's limp body and put her in the passenger side of his Hellcat cruiser. He flew to his house and took her inside and layed her down on the bed and stayed by her side until she awoke.

Present:

Rail was passing in front of the palace. He stopped and looked up at the monolith. He remembered several times in the palace, some good, some better, and some bad. He was an expert lier and had no problem telling Praxis that the young woman had been killed and was now being given an autopsy as they speak. He gritted his teeth in hatred howeer when he remembered how Erol reacted when he found that he had been lied to.

Rail had found her a legitamate job as a race mechanic but unfortuanately she was assigned to be Erol's mechanic. That's when Erol found the necklace she still wore. Erol was mad, very mad.

Flashback:

Erol grabbed Rail by the scruff of his shirt and slammed him into the wall of his gargage.

"You miserable, insubordinate, lying piece of shit!" screamed Erol. "You told me she was dead! You were just keeping her around as your play thing!"

'Big mistake' thought Rail. Rail reared back his arm and decked Erol in the jaw. "Wanna say that again?"

Erol pulled out his gun and pistol whipped Rail across the face. Rail clutched his mouth and took a step back. Erol put his gun to Rail's head. "She's mine now, understand?" he said coldly. "You stay away from her or next time I'll pull the trigger."

Erol turned nd stalked away. Rail spat the blood out of his mouth and went his seperate way.

Present:

Rail hadn't seen Keria since that day. He had seen all of her races and had shadowed her during her tour of the palace and made sure to keep a heavy KG presence in the Stadium sector to protect her during the Metal-Head assault. Now though Erol was dead, he had died when he tried to hit Jak with his Zoomer after Jak beat him in the Class One race.Erol was no great loss to the world. Everyone else in the Stadium screamed in fear, or even cried. Rail just smile grimly and left.

He had had enough of this crap though, now he was sick and tired of everything. Seeing the lights of the Stadium in the distance he started walking again. The road was still long and cold but he kept going until he reached the steps. The last time he was here he remembered seeing a bloodbath. Jak had just won the race and the KG were hot on his trail. Praxis was stupid, Erol had been stupid, the entire city was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid it made him want to scream sometimes. He took a few deep breaths and walked up to her door. He knocked three times. It was opened by Jak. 


	2. Many Meetings

"Can I help you?" asked Jak. 

Jak had heard the door knocking. Not seeing any thing outside the window and no threat present he opened the door. There was a man, a few inches taller but nearly the same build was staring back at him. Jak could tell his biceps were bigger by his jacket but Jak knew that if this man was a threat he could, and would, break him like a twig.

Rail was confused to say the least. He knew the man staring back at him. Jak was here, Jak was in Keria's apartment. Jak was Keria's.... Oh God!

Flashback:

Rail sat by Keria's bed for hours on end. He had looked through the small bag she had and found a picture of her being flanked by two boys. One was tall with blonde hair and the other was shorter with red hair. On the back it was written:

To: Keria From: Jak and Daxter

Happy Birthday!

Rail folded up the picture and tucked it into his jacket, he did the same with that small wooden necklace. He pulled it out and looked on the back. A small "J" was craved in the back. He put it back in his jacket and turned back to her.

Present:

"Can I help you?" said Jak again. This time annoyance was present in his voice.

"I need to talk to you." said Rail. "Privately."

"Okay," said Jak pulling on a jacket of his own. "Keria I'll be right back!" he shouted into the room.

"I'll be waiting." she said with a suggestive tone. Rail shuddered hearing her voice again.

Jak and Rail walked down the hall a little before Rail turned to face him. "I want to talk to Keria."

"Why?" asked Jak.

"We're old friends." he said.

"Funny, she never mentions you. Why?" said Jak.

"I know," answered Rail. "But I really need to see her."

"You still haven't answered my question." said Jak. "Why hasn't she ever mentioned you?"

"She thinks I'm dead."

"Why?"

"You killed me Jak," said Rail with a slight grin. "You killed me and every last one of my men at The Water Slums."

Flashback:   
An alarm was buzzing in Rail's barracks and nearly 200 men were suiting up for battle. It took them a few minutes to put on their clumsy armor. Rail never bothered with that crap. He slipped on his jacket and loaded his gun. He was a high enough officer and good enough shot he never had to change into real KG armor. Two hundred of his men and two hundred of Erols were under his command. The Renegade, as Jak was called, was sighted at the Water Slums and thy could corner him. Motion sensing drones had been deployed there so Jak would have to shoot his way out; and there was no chance in hell that that was happening.

"Alright," he said to the men over his comm unit. "Set you guns on the highest setting and shoot to kill." Rail was in the lead crusier and staring ahead he could see a small blue speck next to a smaller gold speck. "He's got a seal piece!" yelled Rail. "Kill that son of a bitch!" His crusier set down and the hatch opened and the guns started firing.

Present:

Rail was staring at Jak as he processed the information. Jak thought back to that day, as hard as it was.

"You were him, weren't you?" asked Jak. Rail knew what he meant. Rail was the one that always got away. Whenever Rail could've killed Jak, whenever he could've killed Jak and had Keria to himself he ran. "You were him all the other times also. At the Dig, at the Stadium and the Water Slums. The KG that always got away."

"Yeah," said Rail. "That was me all right."

Jak's expression didn't change as he nodded his head and turned his back. "Come in."

Rail followed Jak inside to the apartment. A strange aroma filled his nostrils as he walked into the rather plain apartment.

"Sorry about the mess." said Jak as he tried, vainly, to hide his and Keria's underware.

"It's understandable." said Rail. "Assuming what you two did."

Jak didn't answer as he knocked on the door of her room.

"You there?" he asked.

"Yes," came her sweet voice. "I'm waiting for you."

Rail had to stop from laughing. "Just shut up." he said to him. "Are you decent?"

"Not with you waiting outside I'm not." she said, a suggestive tone in her voice.

"Keria, get dressed, someone's here to see you."

"Fine," sighed Keria. In a few moments later she came out in a tight fitting light blue top and short white boxers (most likely belonging to Jak) and spent about three seconds staring into Rail's eyes.

"Hi, Keria." he said.


	3. Reunion

Keria was torn between two feelings when she saw Rail standing there. 'Rail,' she thought. 'They told me you died, they told me that you were mowed down under the barrel of Jak's gun but here you are facing me, facing me standing here in Jak's underware...OH MY GOD!'

"Hi Keria." he said looking into her blue eyes.

"Rail... I... you... they said that..." Rail walked forward and slowly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ssshh," he said, having the gull to hug her. "I'm here, it's okay."

Keria gripped him back, hard, letting her tears fall on his shoulders as she sobbed.

Rail was on top of the world. After nearly a year of isolation from her, isolation from peace here he was with her in his arms again. he was back with her and he loved it.

He broke, reluctantly, her embrace but couldn't think of anything to say.

"You two must have some catching up to do." said Jak. "Rail, I'd be honored if you'd stay the night."

"Thank you Jak." said Rail. "I will find it hard to repay you." With one last hug Rail went into the bathroom to shower and Jak and Keria crawled back into bed.

"Why didn't you tell me about him?" asked Jak.

"They told me you killed him Jak," she said stroking his face. "I didn't want you to know that you killed someone who was very important to me. I love him almost as much as I love you."

"You mean lov-ed, right?"

"No Jak," she said. "I still love him. I mean he found me when we came here that's not a bond you can easily break."

"Yeah,' said Jak. "I guess." He smiled a suggestive smile. "You wouldn't do with him what you'll do with me though right?"

"Oh, shut up and kiss me Jak."

He did and they fell asleep. 


	4. Working Together

Jak awoke early in the morning. The lights of his clock told him it was 6:00 AM. Jak rubbed his eyes and sat up. He looked down and saw he was in Keria's shirt. 

"When," asked Jak. "Am I going to wake up in my clothes again?" Jak got out of bed, cracked his neck and pulled on a pair of long denim blue pants and a black button up shirt. He stepped into his boots and walked into the kitchen. There he saw Rail standing at ease staring out the open window onto the streets below. people already starting to go about there buisness.

"Have you ever felt unappriciated?" asked Rail in an amazingly calm voice. "Like you know that everyday your life is on the line and no one cares? You fight and you fight and you fight and you never question if what you're doing is right or just but every once in a while you'd like some recognition for it. For once you want somone to pat you on the back and say good job? For once you'd like to go to the palace to be rewarded and not given another chance to die."

"All the time," said Jak. "I mean look at me. I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet but I killed Krew, he was going to sell the city out to the Metal-Heads, I killed Kor and that threw down the Metal-Head army..."

"Which made my life a hell of a lot easier by the way..."

"Yeah," continued Jak. "And all I've gotten out of it is... well... nothing."

"You got Keria," said Rail. He turned to face him, his spiked hair casting an impending shadow on the floor. "That's what you got Jak, the greatest prize of all, you've got a woman who loves you."

"And what do you have Rail?" asked Jak. "What drives you to get up and fight, what makes you do it?"

Rail didn't answer for a few moments but Jak saw him staring into he and Keria's bedroom. He saw Keria still asleep but as beautiful as ever. "She does," he answered simply. "Everything I've done for two years has been for her, I did it all for her knowing that we could never be together but still doing it."

"She still loves you." said Jak. "You did the one thing I couldn't, you protected her when I couldn't."

Suddenely something on Jak's dresser buzzed. He went and flipped open his comm unit. It was Torn.

"Hey Torn," said Jak. "What's up."

"Ashelin," said the old warrior cocking his head in the direction of he and Ashelin's bed.. "And she wants you over at the palace. We got someone for you to meet."

"Well if it's an old KG officier named Rail you can forget it he stopped by last night."

"Really?" asked Torn. Jak showed the screen to Rail so Torn could see him. "Fine," he said. "But Ashelin still wants you over here. Both of you." Torrn clicked off and Jak did the same.

"Was Torn always that polite?" he asked Rail.

"Oh yeah..." said Rail. "A real cherry fellow."

At this time Keria awoke. She, in Jak's clothes again, walked over to the two guys and hugged them both. "You boys getting along all right?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Rail. "We're cool."

"But unfortuantely," said Jak. "We have to got the palace, Ashelin needs us to see something."

"Why don't you come with?" asked Rail, seeing her crestfallen face. She had been hoping to force the guys over to the JET-Board course or take in a race. "I'm sure you could have a pretty good time while Ashelin and Torn bore us with some crap."

"Okay!" said Keria, cheering up considerabely. "Let me get changed first."

"Right." said Jak.

Keria went off, got changed and met Jak and Rail in Jak's three person hovercar and they flew off. Rail and Keria sat in the back which made Jak a little nervous but he trusted the two to keep their hands to themselves, of course they didn't know he had a gun in his glove compartment. After a bit of traffic they set down in front of the palace. Jak and Rail each got their ID cards out and walked to the main gate. The slid the cards and a mechanical voice said

WELCOME...JAK KERIA AND RAIL... TO THE PALACE OF HAVEN CITY

The great doors of the palace opened and Jak, Keria and Rail strode in. The trio signed their names in the log book and went to the lobby desk.

"We're here to see Governess Ashelin." said Rail. "Torn called for us this morning."

"Yes, sir," said the respectionist. "Just let me check my admittance log.... yes here you are." he turned away and pulled a small blue disk and handed it to Rail. "That is the key to Ashelin's personal chamber. She and Torn should be there waiting for you."

Rail nodded and stood out of the way so Jak could talk.

"Hey buddy," said Jak. "The girl's gonna get kinda bored so I was wondering if you could give her the whole make-up, massage, hot tub thing. You know what I mean?"

"Yes, sir," said the man. He stood up and took Keria by the arm. "If you'll follow me madam we'll get you set up in the royal make-up room and..." They disappeared behind a door and Jak turned to Rail and motioned for him to go to the elevator. The duo stepped in and Rail pressed the button to level B. Jak took the disc from him and looked at the label.

"Room B-2," said Jak. "What does that mean?"

"Room B-2 is Ashelin's personal room. Praxis lived in B-1. Suprised she didn't move there..." he said open endedly as the door opened at level B. Rail and Jak stepped out and soon found room B-2. Rail pressed his hand against the pad and it opened without question. They were greeted by the sight of Ashelin's back with Torn's hands working their way up her shirt.

Rail was about to say something but Jak put a hand over his mouth.

"You know Torn," Ashelin tried to say between kisses. "Jak and... Rail will be.... here... soon."

"Yeah!" called Jak. "About thirty seconds ago!"

The two whirled around and saw Rail and Jak smiling smugley. Ashelin nearly threw Torn off of her and straightened out her shirt.

"Uh... yes I uh... see that um.... you are here now." stuttered Ashelin. She soon straightened out and spoke like the natural leader she was. "Jak... Rail we have a situation that we need you two to take care of."

"Here we go again," mumbeled Jak.

"We've sent a few teams out to the Wastelands to see what to make of the Metal-Heads that survived, none have come back." said Ashelin. "We're getting worried. They're either staying there, unlikely, or there's something out there killing them."

"And you want us to go and check it out?" said Jak. "Or do you want me to again wipe up all the crap you've been spilling?"

"However you want to look at it." said Ashelin. "But you're still going."

Rail nodded and turned to leave me Jak stuck his arm out and pulled him back. "Why not send out the Wastelanders?" asked Jak. "I'm sure Sig's up to breaking some heads."

"Because he's going with you already," said a voice from behind them. Jak spun around and there stood Sig standing in the threshold of Ashelin's room.

"Yeah," said Ashelin." That's why."

"Well cherries," said Sig. "You ready from some good old fashioned Metal-Head hunting.?" As he said this he he cocked his Peace-Maker.

"Bring 'em on." said Rail pulling a Red Eco pistol out of his jacket and cocking it.

"Let's do it." said Jak with a grin, cracking his knuckles.

"Do what?" said another voice. Jak and Rail's eyes widened and turned to the door and saw a very much better looking Keria standing there.

Jak turned to Rail.

"Uh-oh."


	5. Back Into Hell

"Keria," said Jak, taking her aside and from the room. "We need to talk."

"What is it?" she asked, her eyes full of concern. She knew though deep, deep down that Jak was going to have to go fight.

"Since Kor's defeat, Ashelin's sent KG patrols out to the Wastelands to try and find if any Metal-Heads have been trying to re-group."

"Have they?" she asked. Maybe Jak wouldn't have to leave after all.

"None have come back."

"No Metal-Heads?" she asked but afriad of the answer.

"No men."

Tears sprung into here eyes as she grabbed him and held him close, like she was trying to imprint him onto her body. "Don't go don't go don't go..." she kept saying over and over and over again. "I just got you back Jak, I can't lose you again."

"You won't," he wispered. "You won't lose me, I promise." He looked into her green eyes and she pulled him in and kissed him hard and full on the lips.

Sig, Torn and Ashelin were still talking and going over some details and they assumed Rail was listening. He wasn't though, he was looking at Jak and Keria in the hallway. 'She's his now, she's his now,' he kept telling himself but he couldn't stop his fist from clenching or himself from remembering...

Flashback:

"And that's basically it," said Rail gesturing his arms in the air. "You've seen just about every inch of the palace that I have clearence too which, I might add, is all of it."

"And is that the tour you get when you win the Class One Race?" Keria asked, still clinging to his arm.

"Oh no," scoffed Rail. "That tour is pathetic, they show you the lobby, the gift shop and let you eat a meal in the cafe. You see more by looking in the windows from the city."

"Well thank you then," she said. The duo turned a corner and were in the same hallway that Jak and Keri were now. They were heading for the elevator but she stopped and turned to him. Rail turned to her and saw something in her eyes, something that he had longed for his whole life. Love. She leaned up to him and placed a deep, loving kiss on his lips.

Present:  
"Are you alright?" asked Ashelin.

"WHAT!" yelled Rail slamming his fist on the table. He calmed down quickly though. "Yeah, yea. Just fine."

"Well," said Torn. "I just asked you if you wanted some new weapons and you just kept staring at the lovebirds."

Rail looked back and Jak and Keria were still kissing, much more passionately now. Rail was torn between several feelings. Happiness, because Keria was happy and he wanted that more than anything but also a mix of anguish, pain, and horrible, horrible sadness, because he wasn't the one doing it. "Sure," he said to Torn. "Suit us up." he turned. "JAK!" Jak turned. "COME ON, WE'RE GOING."

Jak turned back to Keria and kissed her again. "I love you, and I'll come back for you I swear."

"I know," said Keria, holding Jak so tightly that she thought she could never let go. "I know."

Jak lifted up her face and kissed her again. He held her gaze for what seemed like an eterneity before he turned away from her. He walked away briskly past Rail and straight towards Torn who was waiting in the elevator. Rail turned too but stopped, he turned around and saw Keria. He mouthed the word 'bye' and walked to the elevator with the rest and held her gaze until the door shut and she was blocked from view.

Jak, Rail and Sig walked down the palace stairs and strode to the Port. Jak, the hero of the city was met with cheers and applause but he didn't acknowledge them. Jak was never one who wanted what he had earned, except for her. He loved her, his love for her ran like a river that no dam could ever hold back and that not wall could block. He would tear down every wall, cross every path of fire and kill anyone who got in the way of him and her. He didn't like leaving her in the palace and it was all he could do from taking her right there and he doubted she would've minded. But deep down inside of him, so deep that even he didn't know it he knew that leaving her behind again was a mistake, one that he would have to pay dearly for.

Sig was unemotinal as he walked down the steps and towards the Port. He stopped at a memorial wall that had been built. Etched into it was all the names of the men who had died in the battle. Sig had had several friends who the Metal-Heads had claimed but aside from the the Wastelander felt no emotion. He had learned long ago to block out all of the feelings he had. He merely checked the ammo on his gun a few times, obviously execited about going to the main Wastelands. He never turned down a fight.

Then there was Rail. The black clad KG who was the most powerful weapon the city knew aside from Jak himself. He matched Jak in several other ways. He was a good a shot, as dedicated towards a cause and as in love with same woman. Rail had been with Keria. He had taken walks with her, he had comforted her on dark and lonely nights and he had kept her out of prison. Rail was a very leinent person. If he did something for somone and then they didn't even thank him he could stand that, hell he was used to it, but that was one thing he couldn't get over. He kept her away from the torture that Jak had to endure and she didn't care. The instant Jak came running back she forgot all about Rail. All about him...

Flashback: Rail looked different today. He wasn't clad in his normal black ensamble. He was wearing blue jeans, a red tee-shirt but he still wore his black jacket and boots; and he was carrying flowers. They were a rare kind and Rail had found some in Haven Forest while he was on patrol once and he had picked them for her. He didn't notice however that a speeding Zoomer was flying above him, that Zoomer carried Jak. Rail walked up the steps and was about to go talk to Keria. But when he got to her garage he saw her hugging Jak, he saw her hugging another man. He was about to do something until he saw her lips move up and kiss him.  
"No..." wispered Rail to himself. He began breathing fast and tears came to his eyes as hard as if someone had turned on a faucet behind his eyes. The sadness soon turned to rage as he broke the stems of the flowers he was going to give her and threw them to the ground. He turned and walked away.

He had tried to call her over the next few weeks but it wasn't worth it. He just got her machine but she never returned his calls and never tried to see him again. But one time he was close. It was during the Class Three Race. He saw her in the stands near the end of the race. Things might've been different if he hadn't turned his head to see who had won when the cheers exploded. At that second Keria got up from her seat and ran out of the aisle. Rail was already there but his head was still turning and she ran into him. She ended up pushing him down and running to the winner's circle. It had been an accident but Rail wasn't thinking clearly. As he saw Keria kissing Jak all he wanted was to have his gun. A stranger helped him back to his feet and Rail stalked out.

Present:

"You okay man?" asked Sig. "You like you're ready to kill someone."

"Kinda," said Rail staring daggers at Jak's back. No matter how many times he told himself he and Keria were over he kept feeling how unfair it was.

"Well save it for the Metal-Heads." said Sig smacking Rail on the back.

"Yeah." said Rail, not taking in anything the Wastelander had said, sat down in the Air-Train and waited for take-off. 


	6. The God of the MetalHeads

(((I'm sorry this has taken so long. I wrote it on one computer had a hell of a time getting it to my home computer to post it. Hope you enjoy!)))

The Air-Train set down in the Wastelands, the same place where Jak had started his trek to Kor's Nest, and the trio steped out. Sig set his laser scope on and began scanning the nearby rock formations. Jak cocked his Blaster and also began scanning the rock formations. Rail pulled out a smaller gun than Jak's. Designed for one hand he could tell but you were able to comfortably use both. And it was loaded with a Blaster clip but had the barrel of a Vulcan.

"Nice toy," remarked Jak.

"Thanks." said Rail.

They trio didn't encounter any trouble for the first half hour or so. Jak led the group taking them through the same route he took when he fought Kor for the first time. After a while they were getting restless when they found what could've been a tunnel. Jak walked up to it and pressed his ear to one of the boulders.

"It's hollow." he said backing up. "Sig," he said. "Do you're thing."

"Step back ladies," said Sig. Sig kneeled down and started to charge up his Peace-Maker. When the gun had fully charged Sig aimed it at the center rock and let the trigger go. The ball of energy flew in a spiral towards the rock pile, connected, and...

BOOM!

The force of the the blow knocked the trio off their feet. They got up and began to peer into the dusty opening Sig's Peace-Maker blast had made. For several moments nothing happened. Jak the began to slowly walk towards the opening, his gun in Scattergun Mode. He climbed into the opening and disappeared from view. Several moments later they heard his voice.

"Come on," he yelled "It's clean."

Rail stepped in and then Sig and they soon found Jak.

"I never knew that they made tunnels." said Rail. He stopped and touched on of the walls, the cuts and carving were sharp and fresh. "New," he wispered. "They're new. JAK!" he yelled but there was no answer. "JAK! SIG!" Still no answer. Sighing he began walking forward. As he started to notice a downhill tilt in the tunnel he started to walk faster and faster as the hill got steeper until it was impossible to stop. As he was nearing the point of exhaustion the hill finally began leveling out and eventually spat him out. He landed on his stomache and looked side to side. It was level on the plateau but he could see that on either side it sloped down again into...

"Oh my God..." muttered Rail as he picked himself up. It was a valley as wide and as far as the eye could see and it was filled with Metal-Heads. One hundred thousand, one million, ten million, it was impossible to tell, and these weren't pushovers. These Metal-Heads were strong and tough and armed. Rail stared into the advance of the Metal-Head army, when he remembered his communicator.

"Jak!" he spoke into it. "Where the hell are you?"

"Me," he said. "Where are you? Sig and I ducked into a tunnel and we thought you followed."

"I went straight," he said. "Straight into Hell."

"What'd you mean?" asked Jak.

"Metal-Heads," he said. "I don't know how many, millons I think, I don't know. I think we found what was killing the KG patrols."

"Are you sure?" asked Jak, speculation clear in his voice.

"I'm sure," said Rail. "I'm going back up the tunnel, meet me back at the Air-Train."

"Right." said Jak.

Rail chanced one last look at the Metal-Head army and he was sorry he did. A bolt of purple and black lightning struck into the center of the mass. Several other bolts struck, turning the darkness of the Wastelands into day. Finally the bolts rose from the ground and formed, what looked to Rail, like a portal. From that portal came a huge Metal-Head. He was shaped like a dragon but more so. He had a row of razor sharp spikes on his back with were secreating poison and Dark Eco. His skin was black, yet alive with the pulsating viens that clearly ran with an evil foul life blood. He roared a roar that would bring the bravest man to the world to tears in fear and bearded his rows of teeth as black as coal as sharp as daggers and as strong as diamonds. Rail's eyes grew wide in fear and awe. This monster was one that had been considered myth since before time, he was rumored to be invincible. He was the God of the Metal-Heads.

His name was Drakken.


	7. Back to Haven

Rail found himself, once again, standing at the steps leading up to the Stadium. He took a deep breath as he started to walk. Too many times he had walked these steps and come away with nothing. That made him mad. He was sick and tired of not getting anything in return. He was tired of doing all the work.. He was sick and tired of all of it. 

He knocked again on her door. This time she opened.

"Rail!" she said. For a moment he thought she was happy to see him but that died quickly. "What's wrong? Is it Jak? Is he hurt, oh Mar is he alive."

"Calm down," he said. "Jak's fine."

"Where's Jak," she said. "If he's alive then why isn't he here?"

"Things are getting bad Keria," he said with a stern look on his face. "There's an army marshalling in the Wastelands that'll make the last army seem like nothing. The offical body count of the last attack was 10,000 Metal-Heads."

"How many are there?" asked Keria, afraid of the answer.

"Five million at least."

"Mar..." she wispered. "They'll kill us all."

"No!" said Rail sternly. "You think like that then we're already dead. We have to be strong and face this head on."

Keria got up the tears forming in her eyes and ran into the bedroom. Rail followed.

"Keria," he said holding her close and letting her cry on his shoulder. "It'll be alright, we'll figure it out."

"I... I can't lose both of you again," she sobbed. "When...sniff when Jak and I got seperated I was ready to... just die until I found you."

"You won't lose him," Rail said. "Jak is never going to leave you again."

-

Jak dashed up the palace steps and slid his passkey into the door. They hissed open and he ran over to the receptionist desk.

"Where's Samos?"

"Samos?" the man said. "Oh yes the small green man, he is down in the archives and had asked that no one disturb him."

"Too bad," said Jak. "Give me a passkey down to that level."

"I can't sir and I'm very sorry but..."

"I SAID GIVE ME A PASSKEY!" Jak shouted as sevral bolts of Dark Eco shot from his body.

"Here!" said the frightened man as he threw Jak a blue card. Jak caught it and went to the elevator. He pushed the button that took him to the archives.

He reached the bottom level. It was a poorly lit hallway. Jak flipped on a light switch and the room was illuminated. It was filled with rows and rows of books.

"Samos!" he yelled. He picked up some clomping of tree-stump feet and saw the sage several rows down. Jak ran to him and got in his old mentors face. This time he was getting some answers. He had spent his life wiping up other people's problems and if he didn't get some answers some people were going to have to wipe up his problem.

"What is it, my boy?" asked Samos, though he had a knowing look in his eyes.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" said Jak. "You never told me that there were phrophecies about me, or legends, or tales."

"I knew this day would come," said Samos solemly. "Follow me." he said and led Jak into the darkness of the stacks.

-

Rail sat down at Keria's kitchen table and made something to drink. He poured her a cup of hot coca and one for himself and took them into the bedroom. She was sitting on the bed with her knees schrunched up to her chest and her eyes were stained from crying. He handed her one of the mugs.

"Here," he said, "Drink up, it's your favorite."

She drank some of it and her eyes lit up. "Thanks." she said.

Rail was never a big fan of hot chocolate but he didn't think that breaking into Jak's liquor cabinet would bode well with him. Rail took a drink and let the warm liquid run down his throat. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was until the liquid touched his lips. He could feel it running down his mouth and into his stomache.

"Rail," said Keria quietly. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I love Jak," she said. "I've had a crush on him since I was a little girl and I wanted to be with him for my whole life and I still do."

"You should," said Rail. "You deserve someone like him, someone strong and good willed and can love you like you deserve to be loved."

"But," she said. " I still love you."

Rail turned to her with disbelief in his eyes. "What?" he said.

"I still love you Rail," she said.

"I heard what you said, I didn't know why though."

"You found me," she said. "You took me in and helped me when I had nowhere to go. You laid everything on the line for me before you even knew my name."

"Jak would've done all of that too," said Rail. "It doesn't mean anything too special."

"No Rail," said Keri, leaning up to him. "It does."

And with that Keria pressed her lips against Rail's.

-

"When we were sent to the future," said Samos. "I knew what you'd be going through and what you'd grow into. I knew the destiny that you would fulfill and the hardships you would face. But I also knew what you still had to do."

"Samos," said Jak. "I've saved the world twice, in the span of, technically, three years. Now just how many more enemies am I going to have to fight?"

"One," said Samos. "Drakken."

"Okay," said Jak. "Who or what is Drakken?"

"He is the god of the Metal-Heads, a diety they worship."

"Okay," said Jak, shaken up. "I'm fighting the god of the Metal-Heads. How do I kill it?"

"I don't know," said Samos. "I can't translate the texts into anything legable."

"Why not?" asked Jak.

"Because I doubt you kill the god of the Metal-Heads with a pink rubber duck named 'Ogga'."

"Let me see the book," he said. Samos slid the book over to Jak. Jak couldn't even make out anything, it was in a language he had never seen. Jak looked on the cover and saw something that scared him. On the cover was him, the Dark him. "Samos," said Jak sliding the book back to him. "Explain."


	8. The Truth Revealed

Samos sighed. Even though he knew this day would come he still didn't look forward to it.

"Jak," said Samos. "You are on the cover of this book because this book is about you."

"About me?" said Jak skeptically. "How can this book be about me?"

"I don't know Jak," said Samos. "But I'm sure that that will be made clear eventually."

"So what of this book do you have translated?" asked Jak flipping through the pages. "You sure as hell made enough notes."

"Many of it has already transpired. Your shutting Gol and Maia in the Silos, your defeat of Kor but after that the text in untranslatable."

"Have you taken it to Onin?" asked Jak.

"Yes," answered Samos. "She has never seen this language ever before."

Jak continued to stare at the characters. It seemed farmiliar, he knew that he should be able to read it but he couldn't. Why was the question that kept pounding at him. He knew that it was farmiliar but he could put his finger on it. Suddenely something hit him. It was like a burst of Light Eco shooting through the nothingness clouding his mind. It was backwards.

"BACKWARDS!" hey yelled slamming his fist down. "IT'S BACKWARDS!" He grabbed a pen and some paper and began writing the letters down until he had copied the whole page, then he sat down and read it, concentrating on the words they weren't helpful. "Oh Mar..." mumbeled Jak. "This isn't good."

Rail felt elevated as Keria's lips pressed against his. This is what he had been wanting ever since he first met her. He wrapped his arms around her and laid her down on the bed. Then he realized what he was doing. He managed to break away and speak.

"Wha... what what was I doing? What were you doing?" he asked, looking at her.

"What's wrong?" asked Keria, walking towards him while he backed up until they reached the wall. "I thought you wanted this?"

"You're not feeling love Keria, it's just lust." said Rail.

"I am feeling love Rail," she said seductively. "I can't have Jak now so I want you."

"Keria," said Rail grabbing his jacket. "If you had any idea what it would mean to me... but you don't. I'm sorry, I have to go." Rail flipped on his jacket and walked towards the door. He grabbed the handle and, without turning, spoke. "I'll make sure you're safe. I'll send Sig and some of his boys over. Jak'll be home then. I'll see you later." And with that he was gone.

"Samos," said Jak. "Tell me the truth." he looked his old mentor in the eye. "Did you know what I was going to have to go through all the time back in Sandover?"

"Yes," said Samos. 'That's why I made sure you grew up strong."

"Do you know what's going to happen?" asked Jak. "When I have to fight Drakken?"

"Yes," said Samos.

"What then," asked Jak. Before Samos could answer the elevator hissed open and a black clad Rail came walking towards Jak bearing an apologitic face.

"Rail?" he said. He had asked Rail to watch Keria when they got back from the Wastelands. All thoughts of his pivotal battle with Drakken was banished from his mind and thoughts of Keria filled his mind instead. "Is it Keria?" he asked. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know," said Rail. "I think something might be wrong with her. She kissed me."

"What?" said Jak, his voice brimming with anger. DarkJak wasn't going to take him but an angry Jak could do almost the same amount of damage.

"She kissed me. I don't know why but she had lust in her eyes."

"I'll be back," said Jak. "I'll go see her."

Jak turned and got in the elevator and went back up to the city. He hopped in his Zoomer and strated his journey back to the Stadium.

Back in the palace archives Rail turned to Samos. "Things looking grim?" he asked.

"You have no idea." 


	9. The Girl in Question

After Rail left her apartment Keria felt sick. Not sick as if you will throw up but sick as in dirty. She couldn't believe what she had done and what she had said. She looked at the imprint she and Rail's body had left on the bed and began to cry. She didn't even hear Jak come in until he was at her. He tried to hold her but she slapped his hands away. 

"NO!" she yelled. "DON'T TOUCH ME." Jak backed away, confused. She began crying now hardder and flung her amrs around him. Jak was even more confused but he hugged her back, rocking her back and forth, letting her tears fall on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she wispered. "I'm so sorry Jak."

"Shhh," wispered Jak. "It's alright, I'm here. What's wrong?"

"I... I kissed Rail. I don't know why but I asked him to. I made up. I acted like a total slut."

"Shh," said Jak as he held her closer. "I'm here, everything's okay."

Keria continued to cry into Jak's shoulder. She didn't know what she was thinking when she was hitting on Rail. Something was making her, something or someone was controlling her.

"Jak.." she wispered, crying in his arms. "I'm scared."

"There's nothing to worry about. We'll find a way to deal with Metal-Heads." said Jak trying to calm his blue-haired lover. Keria began shaking her head quickly.

"Not that," she said. "When I was hitting on Rail... something was makng me do it. I was trying to stop but I couldn't."

"Shh.." said Jak, petting her head. "It's alright, it's alright."

"How can it be alright?" she cried. "I've turned into a total whore!"

"You're not," said Jak firmly. "You're not that now and you never will be."

Keria didn't answer. She fell to the ground and began crying and screaming. She was thrashing around in pain. She was grabbing and tearing at everything she could reach. Jak tried to subdue her but she threw even him off of her. Jak grabbed his comm and called the emergency number, 199, and told them to come over here.

"199, what is your emergency?"

"I need an ambulance over here now, the adress is 301, Stadium sector. Bring something along that will knock someone out." He snapped the communicator off and three minutes later the medical team came. An intern asked Jak a lot of questions as the team subdued and hauled Keria away. Jak tried to climb in the ambulance but the doctors told him no.

"This won't hold anyone else, we'll give you a call as soon as we have some information about her condition." they slammed the door before Jak could protest and sped off into the night.

For a while Jak was numb. He had just found a book that had been written about him, he found out that his lover had been making out with Rail and now he had just put everything that mattered to him in that ambulance. He walked back into the house and went to the closet. He pushed aside all of the boxes and lifted out his Morph-Gun. He checked the ammo and strapped it onto his back, along with his JET-Board. He stepped outside and stared at the mountains. The mountains that hid the deep Wastelands and the massive army that lay there. Suddenely Jak was slammed to the ground with pain. Images and sounds were flying through his brain. He saw the city, it was in flames, Metal-Heads running everywhere. And above them all was Drakken. He stared right at Jak and Jak stared back at him and there in that moment Jak lost all hope. When he awoke he was still outside his house but Sig and several Wastelanders were running up to him. Sig helped him up.

"You all right chilly pepper?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Jak, in a voice that told them all that nothing was alright. "I need to get to the palace, Keria's not here anymore so you guys aren't needed. Go home and get some sleep. Something tells me you'll need it."

Jak turned from them and stared his long walk to the palace.

The Palace:

Rail watched Jak go out of the palace and Rail took his place at Samos's side.

"How are things looking?" he asked.

"Not good," said Samos, clopping over. "Things are going to be very difficult for the next few weeks, espically on Jak and yourself."

"Why me?" asked Rail. "I mean I'm just an ordinary KG officer, When the fight comes that's where I'll be."

"No you won't Rail." said Samos. "Jak is fighting, anymore, for one thing because that's all that matters to him anymore."

"Keria," said Rail.

"Yes," said Samos. "I can see in your eyes that she means more to you than your life does."

"She does," said Rail, sitting down as her face filled his head. "Even though she'll never love me again." The two heard the door to the elevator open and Samos went to greet Jak, Rail was afraid he'd get his teeth knocked out of he looked at Jak.

"Rail," said Jak. "Did you do anything to Keria when you were with her?"

"No," said Rail. "All I did was kiss her and I don't know why I did that."

"Because you love her and you wanted it to be true that she felt the same way still."

"That about covers it," said Rail.

"I went to her and she broke down, starting screaming and wailing. I called an ambulance and she's in the hospital now."

"Is she going to be alright?" asked Rail.

"She'll be fine, I hope."


	10. Taking the Fight to Him

Rail was worried. Jak hadn't moved the whole night, he just kept staring at a piece of paper. Rail was worried too. An army of five million Metal-Heads were in the Wastelands and as far as he knew nothing was being done about them. He was sure that Sig had told Torn and Ashelin but he hadn't heard anything about any kind of defense or attack. Finally he walked up behind Jak. He was about to tap him on the shoulder when he heard Jak speak.

"What is it Rail?" he said dully and without emotion.

"I can't help it Jak," said Rail. "You know that there's no way we can defend against this attack. The last assault took our numbers down from 40,000 regualrs and 20,000 elites to about 15K each. We've had some new weapons churned out after Praxis' fall that could do some damage but there's no way we can stand against this storm."

"I know." said Jak. "I had a vision. Before I came here. Drakken will burn down this city and everyone after it until this world is his and only his. But I learned something else, I learned there's a way to stop him." Jak picked up the sheet of paper and showed it to Rail.

The One who possess the Dark Light And can bend it to His will Shall meet the root of evil And face Him in mortal combat If the One prevails against the Evil One Then he shall find peace

"This is about you?" said Rail. "You have to fight Drakken, and if you kill him you find peace."

"Yeah," said Jak. "I don't see how though, I've read up on him. He seems invincible. It's too much pressure Rail."

"You beat Kor, You can beat Drakken."

"My Dark Powers," said Jak. "Were strong enough to lift Kor off the ground and slam him down so hard I broke his spine. But I've read up on Kor. Compared to Drakken Kor was nothing and he almost killed me three times!"

"If you can't do it the city will fall," said Rail. "And the Metal-Heads will rule the world."

"I know," said Jak. "I have to fight him, one on one, and if he walks away from the battle it's all over."

"Get some rest Jak." said Rail. He toosed Jak his pass-key. "It's to room B-59, sleep."

"Fine," said Jak. "Night."

Rail watched Jak go. When he was sure Jak was gone he went up to A level and pounded on Ashelin's door. It opened to show the red-headed leader and Torn staring over a map of the Wastelands. A mountain range and the valley below it were crammed full of Metal-Heads. Drakken was no where to be seen.

"What's the plan?" asked Rail.

"That's the problem," said Torn. "We can't think of any kind of attack that would make a dent in their forces. If we had about 1,000 Jaks we could wipe them out no problem but other than that..."

"Hit 'em." said Rail. "Smash 'em."

"What're you talking about?" said Ashelin.

"We take every KG we have, every Hellcat, every artillery gun, every tank and smash the bastards."

"That's too reckless," said Ashelin. "An unplanned mass assault is to risky."

"No it's not," said Rail. He grabbed the remote from Ashelin and showed them the map from a topographical view. "We bring 10K up from here," he said, indicating a small hilly region. "Then our Hellcats come from here," he pointed to a mountain face 300 meters away from the hill. "And start a bombing raid. While the Metal-Heads are running they meet the barrel of our guns." Railmade the map 3-D again and moved around the mountain. "Here," he said point to a mountainside. "Is a critical point. If we can place enough charges, in deep enough we can send the whole mountain down on them which will make room for our tanks and heavy artillery guns to move in. If every goes well we have a legitmate shot of wiping them out, or at least trashing there army pretty badly that we'd have a chance of survival if they attack the city."

"And what if Drakken shows up?" asked Torn. "He's not going to be scared to a few thousand guns."

"Jak," said Rail. "If there's one thing on this plane of existence he's scared of it'll be Jak."

"I still don't know Rail," said Ashelin. "Your plan is a good one but there's too much at stake."

"Ashelin," said Rail. "There may be too much to risk... but it's the only way."

"When do we strike?" 


	11. I Need You

Jak couldn't sleep, it simply wasn't possible. Not with everything that was happening. He got out of bed and rubbed his eyes. His body was telling him that he had gone about two days without any sleep but his heart was telling him much more loudly that he need to see Keria. Last he had seen of her was her screaming body being taken away in an ambulance. he pulled on his boots, a loose blue denim material for pants and a button up black shirt and left the Palace and went to the hospital.

"Hi," he said to the secretary. "I'm looking for a girl, Keria."

"Keria is in room 7-J but you can't go in there without authorization."

"Why the hell not?" said Jak in an annoyed voice.

"The doctor doesn't want any distractions during his operation."

"What operation?" he asked. "What're they doing to her?" The secretary handed Jak a file folder with Keria's name on the tab. He took it over to a waiting table and looked through it. A lot of stupid paper work had been filled out and filed but there were some intersting things. He dropped the files and went to room 7-J. He knocked on the door.

"I'm sorry," said the doctor, not looking at him. "But no one... Jak!" he exclaimed upon seeing his guest. "Please come in."

"What's going on doc?" he said. "You're people are telling me that you're pulling some kind of operation on her."

"That's just to get people to leave me alone. She's been asking to see you."

"Jak...?" they heard in a small voice. Jak ran over to the bed. He saw Keria lying there. She looked bad. Her hair was messed up and her make-up was spread all over her face from sweat.

"Keria," he said, grapping her hand. her grip was weak and her hand was cold. "I'm here, it's going to be alright."

"No it's not," she wispered. "We're all going to die, all of us."

"No," said Jak. "We're going to survive."

"Jak, I've seen him." she wispered. "I saw what he'll do to you. He'll take you to Hell."

"I won't let him," said Jak. "There's no way anyone is going to seperate us. I promise you that." He hugged Keria and held her close to him, trying to force an imprint of her onto him. When he let her go she was asleep, a dreamy look on her face. Jak kissed her forehead and walked back to the doctor. "Is she going to be alright?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure," said the doctor. "Her neural pattern is way out of control. If this keeps up her brain could overload."

"Would that kill her?" asked Jak.

"Worse," said the doctor. "She'd become a broken shell, he heart and everything would still work but she'd just be a vegetable."

"Say that whatever was cuasing this would be stopped, would she be alright?"

"Of course," he said, "Her brain would return to its normal stability and everything would be perfect."

"How much time does she have?"

The doctor looked down at some of his files. "You'd have about a month, 40 days tops."

"Thank you," said Jak and he walked away.

Five Days Later...

Jak had visited Keria every day and stayed with her for hours at a time. Rail was with him most of the time. Rail felt the guiltiest about all this. He claimed it was his fault because Drakken had possessed Keria to try and weaken him.Jak had convinced him that he wasn't responsible in any way but he still felt bad. But there wasn't anytime to think about their personal feelings, they were gearing up for war. It took three days to mobalize the army, gather enough ammunition, and get all of the mechanized equipment onto hovercrafts. When all assembeled outside of the palace, waiting to be adressed by Ashelin and Jak, they were an impressive sight. The glistening red and gold armor of the KG was almost all anyone near the palace could see. Jak and Ashelin stepped out of the palace, with Torn, Sig, and Rail behind them, and a cheer went up from the men to see their leaders. Ashelin held her hands up to silence the men.

"Krimson Guard!" she began. "Today will be the most difficult day of your lives. I will not give you any false illusions. The Metal-Heads in the Wasteland outnumber us nearly 200 to one but they are nothing more than uncivilzied beasts! Be strong be brave and we shall prevail!" A cheer went up from the men and Ashelin and Jak went with the others into a special hovercraft. Soon all of the men were filing into their assigned hovercrafts. Finally everyone was in the air and flying towards the Wastelands.

From far atop his mountainous fortress Drakken saw the army of humans arriving to challenge him. He turned to his guards. "Let them come." 


	12. The Battle of the Wastelands

Haven's City army was an awesome sight. 1,000 hovercrafts, each carrying thirty soldiers flying at over 200 MPH over water to reach the Wastelands, to encounter the Metal-Head's. It was no lie what Ashelin had said. This was going to be the most difficult day of their lives. For each man they brought the Metal-Heads had 200 of their kind waiting. All Haven had going for them was suprise, better weaponry, and Jak. The formation they were flying in was massive and loud so the element of suprise was most likely gone, and their skill was questionable and Jak wasn't going into combat unless Drakken showed his face. They were all good markmens but there was no guarentee that the lines would hold if the Metal-Heads charged too violently.

After several hours of flying land appeared on the horizon. It was a dark danky land, full of death and disease, vile creatures and rivers of poison. As the hovercrafts landed and the soldiers filed out and formed thier ranks the full reality of their assignment set in. Many of the men were shuffling nervously in their lines and a few threw up. Jak looked at Ashelin.

"We better get moving, if we stay here any longer we risk getting ambushed and cut down. Let's move out." Jak and Ashelin hopped in a Hellcat. Jak pointed at Rail and he nodded and Rail led his 15K troops towards the gap in the mountain. Ashelin pointed at Torn who rose in his Hellcat and led the 500 Hellcats around the back of the moutains, and Sig led his engineers towards the mountains to start placing charges.

Rail was at the front of his troops and he walked through the rough terrain of the mountains. The lines were behind him were divided in regiment of one hundred in colums of twenty men across and five rows deep. Each regiment was flanked by two high powered tanks with a long range ground to ground missle and two Vulcan Fury machine guns. He was armed with his sub machine gun Blaster and each of his men were armed with semi-automatic Blasters. They walked for about thirty minutes until, finally, they reached the gap in the mountains. Rail held up his hand to tell his men to stop and he walked forward. The sight he saw was a sickening as it had been when he first saw it. In that moment Rail faltered. He began to wonder what in the hell he was doing. How could he and his men hold back such a mass of Metal-Heads. He was ready to run until her remembered what he was here for. He had to draw out Drakken, he had to draw him out so Jak could face, and hopefully kill him. Doing that would save Keria and this fight would be over. He steeled his resolve and motioned for his men to come forward. They were able to fit five regiments and ten tanks into the gap. Rail held his arm up and yelled in a commanding voice "FIRE!"

The sound was deafening as 500 Blaster shots fired into the front lines of the Metal-Heads followed by the explosions that the tank misseles made in the back of the Metal-Head ranks. When the Metal-Heads realized they were being shot at they ran straight at the KG forces but the Metal-Heads advance was nearly impossible because of the sheer cliff face they were trying to climb but also because as the Metal-Heads advaced they had no protecting of any kind and were almost asking to be cut down like cockroaches under a blowtorch. The KG happily obliged them.

Torn was nearly a mile away waiting for the time to attack. He had been given orders not to start attacking until thirty second after Rail had started to ground assault. They were far away but before long they heard the echos of the gun fire. It was the longest thirty seconds of Torn's life. He gritted his teeth and gripped his flight controls until his knuckles turned white. After thrity seconds he gave the order.

"Let the bastards have it!" he yelled and 500 Hellcats came to life behind him as they flew over the gorge. Each Hellcat had one man at the cockpit, he flew the hovercraft and managed the shipboard guns. They each also had two extra men in it with regular guns to protect from any flying Metal-Heads and to shoot at the ground Metal-Heads, anything to throw them off track. Torn, being the reckless manaic that he was, was blasting the Metal-Heads apart. The sounds of the laser blasts were deafening and drowned out most of the screaming and yelling from both sides. Torn's startegy was simple. Make continus circles around the outer fringes of the Metal-Head lines. The Metal-Heads had their army set up so that the weaker Metal-Heads were on the outside and the stronger were on the inside. Their priorety was to cut the weaker Metal-Heads down. Weak Metal-Heads made up nearly half of the Metal-Heads army. With the weakest Metal-Heads out of the way the army would not seem so daunting, they hoped.

From the Metal-Heads standpoint things were getting confusing. First a bunch of human had had the gull to fight them head on. The Metal-Heads were swarming the hill as fast as they could but they kept getting cut down. On top of that, now their back ranks were getting cut apart by an airborne assault. It seemed they had only the lesser of two evils to choose from. Either die under the guns of the ground KG or try and dodge the hail of bullets coming from the sky. It seemed hopeless as this relentless slaughter lasted for nearly four hours until He came.

From the bowels of the earth there came a roar that deafened all other noise. The ground crumbeled away and He came out. Drakken had shown his face. 


	13. Jak v Drakken

Rail was still up on the hills, his men gunning down the Metal-Heads that continued to rush him. He had kept a near continous rotation of men on the front lines. All of his soldiers had been on the front lines twice and they cotinued to hold back the Metal-Heads but they were starting to tire. Torn's airborne assault had shaved off most of the weaker Metal-Heads but that left Rail to deal with the larger Metal-Heads who were starting to seriously threaten Haven's position. More than once Rail himself had leapt from his place atop a boulder he found and rallied the troops for a charge but now the lines were finally getting threatened. Rail then was almost releived when Drakken showed his face from the bowels of the Wastelands. Rail knew exactly what to do. 

"FALLBACK!" he yelled to his men. "OUR JOB'S DONE GET BACK TO YOUR TRANSPORTS AND HEAD HOME!" His men, not needing anymore encouragment ran. Rail was with them, flinging Peace Maker gernades over his shoulders to stem the advancing Metal-Heads. A few minutes of a blind charge away from the battlefield and they found their transports warm and waiting for them. One by one the transports filled and flew back to Haven City. Rail ran to his own hovercraft and flew high in the sky to find Ashelin and Jak.

Torn was also giving the retreat. He ordered all Hellcats to drop the last of their payloads at once and then start the flight back to Haven. Needless to say their retreat was very easy but it was hard to keep several hundred KG Hellcats together in formation. There was once last tremendous blast and the Hellcats departed.

Drakken stood alone in the valley; his dark towering body casting an evil shadow over the mountains themselves. Jak and Ashelin saw this and each knew what had to be done.

"I'm up," said Jak as he took the crusier down to the valley floor.

"Jak," said Ashelin. "Be careful..." and she flew away.

Jak looked up at Drakken, fear taking over him. The monstrous dragon Metal-Heads made Kor look like a puppy. The most distingushing feature was his Skull Gem. It was bright red, unlike the yellow of normal Metal-Heads, and was embedded in his chest. And if the sight of this thing wasn't enough to bring the bravest man to his knees his voice was.

"WHO DARES CHALLENGE ME AND MY ARMY!" roared the behemoth. He looked around and finally saw Jak. The small 6' 5" frame being standing, his arms at his side, in front of the 15' monster. Suddenely he changed into the Dark Gaint. He now stood at 15' and was eye level with Drakken, his razor teeth bared.

"ME!"

For a split second Drakken stared at the monster who stood before him. Then he hissed in hatred and roared.

"DARK ONE! LONG HAVE I HEARD OF YOUR COMING. IT IS SAID YOU WILL BE MY END NOW WE SHALL SEE!" And with those words Drakken lunged at his horned head struck DarkJak in the stomache. DarkJak slumped but was on his feet in a second. DarkJak made a swipe at Drakken's head but Drakken stepped back in time. DarkJak wasn't fooled though as he spun and used his momentum to slam Drakken's head back with his second fist. Drakken was hardly effected by the punch as he grabbed DarkJak's wrist and flung him into a mountainside. He walked towards DarkJak and grabbed him by the troat and began squeezing. DarkJak clawed helplessly for Drakken exposed throat but he couldn't reach it. Drakken tightened his grip but finally DarkJak's hands found something. DarkJak grabbed Drakken's wrists and his claw-like hands dug into his enemies wrists ripping the tough leathery skin and letting the Dark Eco, the lifeblood of this creature, flow out like a river. DarkJak was able to break his opponents grip but only for a moment. The Dark Eco flowing in Jak's veins gave him accelerated healing but it did the same with Drakken. Drakken was in the fight again. DarkJak was starting to worry but he also knew he had one slight advantage over Drakken. Drakken knew that this creature could be his downfall and that scared him. In his own dimension he was all powerful but here in this, plane of existence, his power was greatly limited. DarkJak knew though that here HE was the god and that HE was the all-powerful one and he intended to use that sense of clarity to it's maxium. DarkJak stared at Drakken with hatred blazing in his pitless black eyes and leapt. His leg musceles released like springs as he shot through the air and collidided with the god of the Metal-Heads's stomache and knocked them both to the ground. DarkJak went berserk at that moment. Claws hacking, teeth biting, and legs kicking at anything they could get a hold of. He would die here decided DarkJak. Drakken would die amongst the bodies of his, now scattered and defeated army. Drakken would die and Keria would be saved and this would all just go away. Normally this violence would've made any lesser being die with as little pain as possible and just pray that DarkJak finish them quickly. Drakken refused to admit that though. The bemouth finally fought DarkJak off but for Drakken it may have been better to let DarkJak go at him longer because Drakken was against the back of the moutains and one KG group hadn't left with the rest.

Sig and his men had been burning trails into the bases of the mountains to lay their charges. They had been told to retreat but Sig was a Wastelander and he took orders from himself only. From his comm he could see the battle raging and he saw all of the Metal-Heads run for the hills when their ruler showed up and now Sig saw Drakken leaning against the mountains that he had been told to collapse and he felt it was time to follow orders.  
"BURN 'EM!" yelled Sig to the men manning the charges. His boys hit the charges and ran. Outside there was a dulled explosion and the mountain began to fall.

Darkken had no time to react. In moments the mountain was upon him. DarkJak stared at the rocks, catching his breath waiting to see what would happen. Jak regained control and DarkJak was back in his cage. Moments later however there was a rumbling. The ground began to shake Jak's eyes widened and mouth gaped.  
"No..." said Jak. "No no no no no no." The pile of rubble that crushed Drakken was thrown away and the god was back on his feet.

"YOU INSOLENT FOOL!" he screamed in his terrible and awesome voice. "YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT ME!" Drakken lifted one of the pieces of the mountain and threw it where Jak was standing. He was already running. Ashelin's Hellcat swooped down and Jak caught on to the wing and climbed in. He collapsed in the back, passed out cold. Then they began their long flight back to Haven City with Drakken's laugh ringing in his ears.


	14. A Secret Weapon

The Hellcat landed back at the palace and a very pissed off Jak got out.

"AARRGGHH!" screamed Jak as he threw his gun on the ground. "THAT STUPID PILE OF CRAP!" he yelled, bolts of eco shooting from him. "I SHOULD'VE KILLED HIM! I SHOULD'VE BEAT HIM TO DEATH! I SHOULD'VE TORN OUT THAT STUPID GEM AND SHOVED IT DOWN HIS GODDAMNED THROAT!" Jak hit the ground at this and buried his head in his knees. Rail slowly walked towards him and kneeled next to him.

"Jak..." he wispered. "Jak... you have to stay calm, this is what he wants. He wants you weak, broken, and uncontrollable."

"SHUT UP!" yelled Jak. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS? WHO DIED AND MADE YOU THE GODDAMN EXPERT ON HIM HUH!" Rail backed up as Jak advanced on him. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS LIKE! SHE'S GOING TO CRACK RAIL! DRAKKEN'S GOING TO CRUSH HER BRAIN AND SHE'S GOING TO BE NOTHING UNLESS I CAN KILL HIM AND I CAN'T! A GODDAMN MOUNTAIN FELL ON HIM AND HE GOT RIGHT BACK UP! NO MATTER WHAT I DO I CAN'T WIN!" At this something was happening something was going on that had never been heard of, much less seen. Jak was crying. He was walking down the road, going wherever and crying. Ashelin was about to go after him but Rail held her back.

"Let him go," he said. "Let him be for a while."

Samos was down in the library, once again, and pacing back and forth. He had something in his hands, a small glass beaker, filled with a black ooze. Samos felt sick when he held it and ready to vomit after he looked at it. In this beaker was dark Eco in it's liquid form. Before coming to the future, Samos had raided Gol's laboratory and had found numerous tubes like this. Appraently this substance was "controlled" Dark Eco. From Gol's notes, Samos had concluded that Gol was trying to attain some Dark Powers of his own, powers that would make the Dark Giant look like a child's toy. Samos was planning to destroy the substance so that it didn't fall into the wrong hands but now he felt that it should be placed into someone's hands. Jak's hands. Samos sighed and sat down and reread the passage in the book again. This book told the events of the final battle between DarkJak and Drakken

The Dark One shall imbibbe The life power of the Evil One And his power shall surpass all others And the Dark One shall thrown down the Evil One But the price for this power shall take the life from the Dark One And then the world shall be at Peace.

No matter how the sage tried to interpert it, it meant that Jak would die if he drank the life blood of Drakken. This substance was the lifeblood of Drakken and by giving it to Jak he would make him the most powerful being in this plane of existence and the ability to destroy Drakken once and for all but at the cost of his life. A life, that Samos knew, he would throw away to save Keria. Samos pocketed the tube and tucked the book under his arm and left the archives and started walking towards his daughters home. He arrived there before Jak got there. He sat down and waited.

Rail watched Jak walk off before going back to the palace. He took the lift up to his room. He took off his jacket and just gave it a pitch and collapsed onto the bed. He shut his eyes and tried to wipe his mind of the past events. The KG had wiped out the Metal-Head army. The suprise and ferocity of the Guard had been too much for the Metal-Heads. Now there was only one enemy left in the Wasteland and if Jak couldn't kill him, the world would be lost. He didn't know how but eventually he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Jak walked into he and Keria's home and found Samos sitting at the table. He had the book with DarkJak on the cover and a solem look on his face.

"Samos," said Jak. "I couldn't kill him. I tried but he was too strong."

"I know my boy," said Samos. "I know."

"What am I supposed to do?" Jak asked the sage. "He's going to do worse than kill her Samos. He's going to destroy her brain. When he's done she'll be nothing."

"There is a way to defeat him Jak," Samos said. "But it is very dangerous."

"I don't care," said Jak. "If I can kill him I don't care what price I have to pay."

"I read," he said. "What will happen to you during your final confrontation with Drakken." He revealed the tube. "I saved this from Gol's citadel. It is controlled Dark Eco, it is also what flows in Drakken's veins. By drinking this you will be given the power to destroy him once and for all." Jak grabbed at the tube but Samos witheld it. "You have to understand that this substance will do things to you, the power you expierence as DarkJak will not be powers you want to give up."

"What'll happen to me?" asked Jak.

"You will obtain powers beyond anything you've seen or experienced . But the price that you must pay will be... extreme."

"Samos," said Jak. "I have to kill him, do you understand that? I have to stop him and I don't care how much it hurts me." He held out his hand. "Give it to me."

"Jak," said Samos. "It'll kill you."

For a second Jak faltered. He didn't want to die, no one wanted to die. But then he remembered Keria. He saw her in his minds eyes. He saw her, her face covered in sweat, her hair plastered to her head and her skin, shaking and pale. He gritted his teeth as the Beast that gave her that entered his mind. He saw Drakken sneering face, his murderous laugh, and his huge dragon-like form rampaging the city unapposed. Jak reached forward and grasped the tube.

"I don't care," said Jak. "I'll kill him first."

Drakken was furious. These infuriating humans not only had the gull to attack him but were so superior that they laid to waste his army. He had chased down all that had run and of his army of five million only 30,000 were left. But Drakken was still concerened. The one that the humans had called Jak was a formidable opponent, one that, despite Drakken's own power and strength, Jak had still done damage but Drakken welcomed Jak should he dare approach again. Drakken know knew, fully, who he was fighting and knew that he could beat him.

Jak knelt beside Keria's bed. She was looking worse than ever.

"Jak..." she said weakly. "It hurts, it hurts a lot." Her eyes began to glisten with tears. "Please Jak, make the hurt stop."

"I will," he said starting to cry too. "I promise that this time he'll die and you'll be alright. And then we'll have our whole lives ahead of us."

"I love you Jak..." she said before her eyes shut. She had passed out.

"I love you too..." he said before he turned away. The doctor came up to him.

"She's got a day left. 35 hours at best."

"Give her this," Jak said to the doctor handing him an envelope. "If I don't come back."

The doctor took the envelope and stuck it in his desk.

Jak turned and walked towards the door but stopped in the frame. "Tell her I love her."

Rail was awoken by the sound of someone pounding on his door. He pulled on a black shirt and opened it. It was Jak.

"Come on," said Jak. "We need to talk."

Rail grabbed his coat, threw it on, and followed Jak.

"I'm going back," he said. "I'm going back to the Wastelands and this time I'm gonna kill him."

"Jak," said Rail. "He handed you your ass last time. He's too strong."

"He's going to break Keria, Rail!" shouted Jak. "I can kill him I know I can."

"How?" asked Rail. "What do you have some secret weapon?"

"Actually," said Jak, producing the liquid Dark Eco. "I do."

"Is that...?"

"Liquid Dark Eco." said Jak. "Samos says that if I drink it it'll give me the power to kill Drakken."

"There's a 'but' isn't there?"

"It'll kill me," said Jak.

"Jak," said Rail. "What's the point in saving Keria's life if you can't be with her?" He regretted the words the instant they were out of his mouth.

"The point Rail," said Jak. "Is that she'll live and that's all that matters to me anymore."

Rail nodded. He knew what Jak was saying. Jak was ready to give his own life for her. He was ready to throw away everything he could've had just so that she could live. Rail didn't know if he could do that. That's why you got her Jak Rail realized. Jak had loved her more than Rail had from day one and now he was proving that.

"Need a pilot?" asked Rail.

"Need a passenger?"

"Let's roll." 


	15. Rematch

Jak and Rail rode to the Wastelands in silence. There was nothing that Rail could say to Jak to talk him out of this suicde mission and nothing Jak could say to Rail to try and make sense out of the insanity of it all. A thousand and one things were swimming around in Rail's head. A few times he tried to say something but his words always died in his mouth.

"Rail," said Jak. "This is the end of the line." His voice sounded hollow and dead but Rail knew that these were the most important words Jak would speak to him. "And I don't think I'm coming out of it alive. Actually I know I'm not coming out alive."

"Don't talk like that," said Rail. "You'll come out of this alright."

"No I won't. This stuff," he said produing the vial of Dark Eco. "Is going to give me unbelieveable power but it's also going to tear my mind apart and it will kill me."

"Then don't use it," said Rail. "Find some other way to beat him."

"There is no other way, a mountain fell on him and he got up like it was nothing. Physical strength isn't enough to win this fight."

"What about Keria?" Rail asked as the Wastelands came into view. "What am I supposed to tell her?"

"Tell her the truth, she'll know if you're lying. Then I want you to take care of her. Give her what she'll need."

"What's that?" he said as the Air-Train set down.

"A man who loves her." Jak got out and started walking to the battlefield, where the deadly showdown would take place.

He walked to where Drakken had appeared last time and waited. Soon, far too soon in Jak's opinion He appeared.

"SO." he roared. "YOU HAVE RETURNED TO ME. DO YOU WISH ME TO FINISH YOU OFF PUNY MORTAL"  
Jak sneered and let his dark side take over. He morphed into DarkGiant

"Not so puny now." DarkJak hissed. "Let's finish this!"

DarkJak ran forward at the behemouth and charged his chest. Drakken merelt stepped aside and backhanded DarkJak into the mountain side. DarkJak spun around and ran again. This time with a flying kick at Drakken's head. Drakken reached up and grabbed his ankle and threw him again into the mountains. Again DarkJak arose and charged Drakken. Every punch DarkJak threw Drakken blocked and every kick was deflected. But Drakken's own punches and kicks were landing crushing blows on DarkJak. Finally Drakken punched and DarkJak fell to the ground. DarkJak reached into his pants and produced the vial of eco. He was about to drink it when Drakken knocked it out of his hands. Drakken went over to the spill and touched it.

"THIS WAS YOUR SECRET WEAPON!" he laughed. "YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD DESTROY ME WITH THE VERY BLOOD THAT FLOWS IN MY VIENS"  
DarkJak slowly stood up and marveled at something Drakken had said. He chuckeled and spat some of his blood out of his mouth and stood.

"You shouldn't've said that." DarkJak snarled and with the last ounce of his strength DarkJak lunged and grabbed Drakken's head and shoulder. He pushed his head and sunk his teeth into Drakken's neck, biting into him like a vampire. DarkJak sucked and sucked at Drakken's neck taking as much blood as he could until he was punched away by Drakken. DarkJak stared to fly back but did a back-flip and landed on his feet with Drakken's blood dripping from his chin. DarkJak wiped his chin and laughed. "You really are full of it!"

DarkJak was still his normal height but now his skin was a bright shining blue. His eyes, once glazed black were now a pitless green. His teeth were a shining yellow, dripping black with Drakken's blood. Drakken took a step back and observed this creature. He knew he must be quick and kill this thing before it knew what to do. But it already did. DarkJak was hungry, and Drakken was looking tasty.  
DarkJak let loose and ungodly shriek and threw himself at Drakken and threw him backwards. DarkJak began punching Drakken's face and clawing at his neck and chest. DarkJak knew one thing and one thing only. He had to have more power and by killing this creature he would have it. Drakken pushed DarkJak off of him and used his god-like strength he lifted a huge easily 20 ton boulder and hurled it at DarkJak. DarkJak crossed his arms and somehow manifested two swords of energy. They glowed green and DarkJak weileded them like a pro. He sliced the rock in two and the pieces flew from him. Drakken called upon his god-like power and produced one glowing red sword. The two began a fight with the swords, but it was one sided. DarkJak was moving with speed and agility unmatched and Darkken was forced to play defense only. It seemed that everywhere Drakken parried he was hit in three other places. The fight continued for half an hour and by the end Drakken was tiring but DarkJak was going nowhere. DarkJak spun around drakken and hit him in the back. Drakken spun around but DarkJak leapt and flew overtop of Drakken's head an plunged both of his swords into Drakken's head. But this wasn't the end. Drakken screamed an unearthly scream and flaid around until DarkJak saw it. The source of Drakken's power, his red Skull Gem. In a flash DarkJak was on top of Drakken using his razor sharp claws trying to rip out Drakken's gem. Seeing that it wasn't working and worse, Jak was fighting for control, DarkJak pulled a sword out of Drakken's head and the last thing DarkJak ever did was plunge the sword into Drakken's Skull Gem.

Drakken screamed with a scream that shook the very roots of the planet. DarkJak backed up, a feeling growing in him that he couldn't describe, but ti was hurting him. Drakken's body started to glow a bright orange and three pillars of light shot into the sky, the light emitting from Drakken's eyes and mouth.Drakken spread his body out and exploded in a ball of orange light.

Rail, who had been watching the enitre fight, ran down to a horendous figure that was kneeling, next to the smoldering remains of Drakken. It was DarkJak, and he was dying. Rail ran up to him and watched as DarkJak slowly turned back to Jak.

"JAK!" yelled Rail as he got on his knees next to Jak's crumpled body. Rail turned Jak over so that he was face up. Jak's face was covered in sweat and was sickly pale. He was shaking all over and was coughing. "Jak," said Rail. "Come on buddy don't die on me."

"Too late," Jak managed to gasp. "I knew what... would happen... Rail"

"No," said Rail. We'll get you back to the city and some help." Rail tried to pick Jak up but he couldn't.

"Rail..." he said. "I want you to have her... if she'll take you" Both men knew who he was talking about. Rail's eyes widened. Jak was telling Rail to have Keria, have the love of his life.

"Jak... I can't... she's yours."

"Rail," said Jak. "Please... do this... for me. Just tell her... I loved her."

And with those words, Jak, the heir of Mar, the hero of Haven City, died. 


	16. Coming Home

Rail bore Jak's body back to the Air-Train and covered him with his jacket. The black clad KG then got in the driver's seat and started the flight back to Haven. He steeled his resolve and began to fly back home.

When Rail flew over the walls of the city he found a sight that almost brought him to tears. The entire population of Haven was crammed in the Port and was spilling over onto the palace steps and even the bazarr. All those people ready to greet there hero, watch Keria run to him, watch him take her in his arms and kiss her. That wasn't going to happen though. The normal landing pad for the Air-Train was bare and Rail landed but didn't open the doors. He picked up his comm unit.

"Hey Ash," he said. "Keep the crowds back. Get them back about 100 yards. And keep Keria away." he opened the door and stepped out seeing the people being ushered back by the KG. Ashelin and Torn jogged up to him.

Rail got out and slammed the door in anger. The shock had worn off and his anger was bubbling to the surface.

"Rail," said Ashelin. "What's wrong?" She saw the anger in Rail's eyes. "Where's Jak?" she asked quietly. Rail walked wordlessly past her and punched the camera that was trained on the Air-Train. Dozens of jumobtrons went staticy and thousands of people begann to worry. Suddenely Ashelin screamed. Torn ran to her side and was dumbstruck. The two were blocking everyone from seeing what too many were beginning to suspect. Their hero was dead.

"How did this happen?" Ashelin cried into Torn's chest. "Why did this happen? Why Jak? Damnit why Jak of all people!"

"He drank from Drakken," said Rail. "Bent his neck and dug into his neck. He must've drained at least a quart from him."

"He drank Drakken's blood?" said Torn. "Is that why...?"

"Kind of, it changed him, it turned him into something, he beat Drakken into a pulp. Finally he, somehow, manifested a sword and stabbed Drakken's Skull Gem and that finally killed him."

"But how did he die?"

"The eco was a poison," said a new voice. It was Samos. The Sage walked over to Jak's body and said a small prayer. "I gave him a vial of Dark Eco and if he drank it he would have enough power to kill Drakken. He must've done it."

"No," said Rail. "He was going to but Drakken knocked it out of his hands. he drank straight from Drakken instead. He was magnificiant, he was terrible, he killed him." Suddenely Rail's eyes widened. "Oh Mar Keria! She's going to want to see him!"

The Hospital:

As soon as DarkJak plunged the sword into Drakken's Skull Gem Keria's eyes snapped open with a small gasp. She sat up, her head hurting.  
"What the..." she stared around. "What's going on?"

"Keria!" the doctor exclaimed. "My God it's a miracle you're awake."

"Where's Jak?" she said at once. "I need to see him."

"Calm down, you haven't used your muscles in a while you'll need to rest. As soon as I find him I'll bring him straight up."

"Good," she yelled as he left to find her hero. "I can't wait to see him."

Landing Pad:

Ashelin's comm suddenely crackeled.  
"This is Dr. Contar to Ashelin. Where's Jak? Our girl wants to see him." The four exchanged nervous glances. Rail took the comm unit and spoke into it.

"Jak's dead. Don't tell Keria. I'll handle it." He threw to comm back to Ashelin and gave his instructions. "Tell the people... tell them whatever you want. I'm going to Keria." Rail reached into the Air-Train and pulled out the Jet-Board. He hopped on board and hit the water. He ignored all the yells after him, he ignored all the cries of the people to tell them what happened all he thought about was how he was going to explain what had happened to Keria.

The Hospital:

Keria was sitting on the edge of her hospital bed, re-dressed, as swinging her legs happily. She was so glad that her stay here was over and couldn't wait to drag Jak home, rip his clothes off of him and do ungodly things to him.

"Well Keria," said the doctor. "You're a-oaky again. I'll just put in a call to the Governess to tell her to tell Jak you're ready to see him."

Giddy with joy Keria hopped off the bed and immediatly started fixing up her hair and make up. She wanted to look her best for her hero.

"Yes Governess," said the doctor. "She's perfectly fine. She wants to see him as soon as possible... what'd you mean she wouldn't want to see him how he is? You're making it sound like he's... Oh he is... Oh I see... Yes I'll take care of it. Thank you." He hung up his comm unit and sat it down. Then he went to his desk and picked out the envelope Jak had given him. He was told to give it to Keria if he didn't come back. He turned and handed the envelope to Keria.  
"Here," he said pushing it into her hands. "Jak told me to give you this." She took it and the doctor left the room.

Keria opened the note. It was in Jak's handwriting.

My Dearest Keria,

If you're reading this them I'm dead. I wish it wasn't so but I knew what I had to do and I knew that this might happen if I did it. I want nothing more than to be there with you, holding you in my arms and kissing you knowing that, at least for a time, we could be together but Fate had other plans. I want you to know that since I wrote this I thought about nothing except for you. You are everything to me and I want nothing more than for you to be happy and by giving my life I've made it possible for you to live and be happy, even if it can't be with me. Furthermore I want you to know that whatever you hear, my death was my fault. I made the choice and no one is responsible other than me. I have to go now; I pray that you'll never have to read this but if you do just remember that I love you and nothing could ever change that.

Jak

By the end of the letter Keria was crying.  
"Dead.." she muttered. "He's dead." She heard the door open and someone walk in. She looked up and for a second, a split second saw Jak, but then it turned into who really was standing at the door. Rail. Rail came and sat down next to her and for a second he looked into her tear stained eyes and then a second later she broke down in hysterics. She threw herself on Rail, crying hystericaly into his chest. Rail wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Tell me this is a game," she cried. "Tell me this is some sick joke he's playing with me."

"It's not," said Rail. "He never stopped thinking of you. You were all that was on his mind. Right up until the end."

"Why did he do it damnit!"

"For you," said Rail, holding her. "He wanted you to live you life. He would not have been able to live with himself if you died and he knew that there was a way he could've saved you."

Keria was too broken to answer. She hugged Rail and cried and cried until she ran out of tears. At length Rail spoke again.

"There is one more thing," he said. "Before he died he told me that he wanted me to take care of you. He wanted me to marry you, if you'd have me."

Keria didn't answer. Instead she threw her arms around Rail's neck and kissed him full on the lips.  
"I love you..." she wispered.

"I love you too." 


End file.
